Old timers - how often do you actually think about "the basics?"

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Sometimes I find myself taking for granted certain basic information in the hobby. Then, someone will ask me a question, or I'll stumble through a thread, and find myself learning more about some part of the hobby I've taken for granted for years.

How about the rest of you? When was the last time you changed the way you thought about the basics of the hobby? Did that change in thought translate to any sort of different practice?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Let me give an example. I just dug up this very commonly referenced article to post in a thread where someone was asking about what to dose in a new tank:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

I thought to myself, "hey, maybe I should actually read this instead of just posting it." I've posted it probably a few hundred times, but I don't think I've read it thoroughly since it was first published. So I read it. This nugget of information stood out:

Unlike the calcium concentration, it is widely believed that certain organisms calcify more quickly at alkalinity levels higher than those in normal seawater. This result has also been demonstrated in the scientific literature, which has shown that adding bicarbonate to seawater increases the rate of calcification in Porites porites.4 In this case, doubling the bicarbonate concentration resulted in a doubling of the calcification rate.

Now, I'm not going to go change anything as a result of this, because I already keep my alkalinity near the high end of the scale (10.5 - 11 dkh) but it really struck me pretty hard that alkalinity has such a direct and measurable relationship with coral growth (doubling alkalinity DOUBLED the growth rate!)

 

[tmz]

I monitor and think about the aquariums and system supports every day. I'm always looking for opportunities for improvement but don't jump on new fads or change things just for the sake of change.

 

[zt444a]

I have learned hard lessons. One of which is to not take for granted the basics. Fiding out that your algae bloom is being assisted by parameters out of whack is frustrating to say the least.

This hobby doesn't work well for people who get lazy about tank care. You get frustrated about coral growth because you have been feeding whatever the newest fad is, when if you looked at that Ca and Alk relationship you would save yourself some time and also money!

I am a big believer in doing the basics. About as fancy as I get is using some GFO and vodka dosing. :beer:

 

[Flanders]

Now, I'm not going to go change anything as a result of this, because I already keep my alkalinity near the high end of the scale (10.5 - 11 dkh) but it really struck me pretty hard that alkalinity has such a direct and measurable relationship with coral growth (doubling alkalinity DOUBLED the growth rate!)

So what you're saying is to not only think about the basics, but dose more of them?

I'm sorry.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Wow, it took me a second, but then I lol'd.

 

[SkiFletch]

And even an old timer can make mistakes. Like forgetting to routinely verify/calibrate your refractometer... and therefore realizing your salinity is way high only after you loose a couple nice fish/corals. :headwallblue: :debi:

I agree though that we're always still learning about the crazy environments in our tanks and that some of the things we take for granted can come back to bite us in the rear

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

interesting thread

interesting thread

It makes me wonder what is considered an "old timer" :uzi:

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Haha fair enough, Gary.

For me, "old timer" equals someone with more than 10 years of experience in the hobby.

At any rate, to add to my example, what I meant above wasn't along the lines of "do you old timers keep an eye on alkalinity?" but rather, "how often do you actually put meaningful thought into what/why/how you're monitoring and supplementing alkalinity?"

 

[SkiFletch]

To be honest, that specific topic vexes me constantly, for I've never found a method that works well, is easy, hands off, doesn't offer risk to the tank, and is affordable (yes, I realize I'm searching for unobtainium ). If you have great ideas, I'm all ears

 

[tmz]

For me, "old timer" equals someone with more than 10 years of experience in the hobby.

Well. I'm out . Only been doing this for about 8.5 years . But I'm an old guy who learns fast and the answer on attention to alkalinity and other "basics" is yes for me.
As for alkainity changes and thoughts as an example ,I started with 2 part commercial mixes then moved to generic alk and calcium 2 and 3 part recipes; then to kalk(calcium hydroxide ) and a calcium reactor . After long conversations with myself , I put the expensive calcium reactor equipment on the shelf and went to just kalk from a a still reservoir lightly supplemented with manual infrequent supplements of a bit of baked baking soda. Next ,I'll install the drews dosing pump I just got to automate a tsp of baking soda per day which is about the average of what I use now to to keep alk at about 9.3. I've run the alk as high as 13 dkh in the past , tried it as low as 7.5 too. Growth and color ,health and a lack of a biotic precipitation seem to be best in the 9 to 10 range in my aquariums . Dosing limewater from a still reservoir 24/7 to cover top off needs but not on an ato coupled with regular water changes has worked well for the last 3.5 years without major changes but I still consider ways to improve it on an ongoing basis.

Ph is another area where I've made changes over time, the latest of which is the addition of CO2 scrubbers.

While most say "if it ain't broke don't fix it" ., I'm more of a believer in the "it'll break sooner or later if you don't pay attention to it" and improve processes slowly and consistently. In other words stay out in front of problems. See them before they occur.; look for indictors and ways to see them and design redundant methods to monitor and effect consistent quality outcomes.

Organics and their effects as a nutrient and in binding metals and managing them is something I think a lot about now.

 

[GMaquarium]

I think the basics of maintaining an aquarium become automatic after some time. If perhaps some of the details may get rusty, the main idea and information sticks. It's easy to reference and freshen up on material. I notice many long time hobbyists with a mature tanks sometimes forget about nitrogen cycle. It's been so long since their tank cycled, they don't think about ammonia and nitrite.

I am not old, never been called an old timer so what do I know.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

When I concern myself with my reef aquarium it's usually in regards to whether or not it's operating properly. In other words, if the calcium reactor and auto top off are working properly, dKH and Ca are probably within an acceptable range because regular partial water changes are constantly resetting levels. I suppose my main "worry" is whether or not I have enough foods for the week. Other than that, I enjoy watching growth rates of corals and checking out fish's health and behaviors.

 

[Gravesj1s]

Haha fair enough, Gary.

For me, "old timer" equals someone with more than 10 years of experience in the hobby.

At any rate, to add to my example, what I meant above wasn't along the lines of "do you old timers keep an eye on alkalinity?" but rather, "how often do you actually put meaningful thought into what/why/how you're monitoring and supplementing alkalinity?"

Not an old timer here,but the the topic of alk is one I reconsidered how I looked at it over the past year and a half or so.

I personally find that coralline algae is one of the best indicators of stability,parameters and even nutrients to a degree.

On the how/what/why...I think a testkit for alk can tell us alk is at an acceptable level at that given moment but not that its been stable.
I think more times than not a pic of the coralline growing,not growing,the color of it ,wheather its symmetrical or flaked looking should be considered just as important as the testkit,imo.

In my limited experience I find sps do better for me in the midrange as well.I 'm maintaining a 9.6 dkh and I also find sps grow faster for me.I get cautious about levels below 8 dkh moreso because of testkit accuracy whitch can easily have interferences from sand or precipitated limewater in the water coloumn.If we look at Ken Feldman's skimmate analysis I think its resonable to think alk ,whitch I think would be all of them,including the salifert brand that involve acid in the titration could be skewed by this.

Although NSW averages 7-8 dkh ,and is commonly refered to as acceptable in reeftanks ,I guess Im just cautious about what that level may actually be.On that note it seems a safe bet for me to shoot for around 9 as a midrange level,imo.

-Steve

 

[Paul B]

And even an old timer can make mistakes. Like forgetting to routinely verify/calibrate your refractometer

Not that I'm an old timer but I have pods older than most members here. :worried:
I have not only made mistakes, I made all the mistakes but by doing that I learned from them. I have dealt with every disease known to man and some unknown ones. :hmm3:
I used to have dreams about ich and cycno. I almost changed my last name to bryopsis.:spin2:
And about calibrating refractometers, I don't own one and never have so I don't have to calibrate one.:reading:

For me, "old timer" equals someone with more than 10 years of experience in the hobby.

OMG ten years. I don't think I have any fish younger than that so I must be antique and too senile to post here. My hermit crabs have canker sores older than that.
Oh well, I guess I am an oooooold timer.:smokin:
About the basics though. It seems that the longer you do this, the less you have to rely on technology and test kits (which I also don't have any, but I used to)
I can tell from the expression on the fishes face what the parameters are so I don't worry about them. I touch the glass in the morning to test the temperature. That is my testing routine.:eek2:
If the animals are swimming around, unconcerned as well as spawning, I don't worry about it. If the fish die of old age or at least 15 years old, thats a sign everything is OK, If the corals are growing, no sweat. If nothing ever gets sick or dies, everything is perfect.
So to answer the original question, yes I do take a lot for granted, but it took fifty years of screwing up before I was able to do that and not screw up again.:beer:
So I was screwing up and now I am just screwed up.